Safe Operating Procedure
(Revised 11/15)
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) – EYES AND FACE
______________________________________________________________________
Introduction
Eye and/or face protection is mandated by federal Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) standards, as well as state law (Nebraska Revised Statute,
Section 85-901), which requires use of American National Standards Institute (ANSI)approved eye protection by students, faculty, staff, and visitors at UNL who observe or
participate in:
1. Vocational, technical, industrial arts, chemical, or chemical-physical courses of
instruction involving potential exposure to:
• Hot molten metals or other molten metals.
• Milling, sawing, turning, shaping, cutting, grinding, or stamping of any solid
materials.
• Heat treatment, tempering, or kiln firing of any metal or other materials.
• Gas or electric arc welding or other forms of welding processes.
• Repair or servicing of any vehicle.
• Caustic or explosive materials.
2. Chemical, physical, or combined chemical-physical laboratories involving caustic or
explosive material, hot liquids or solids, injurious radiation, or other hazards not
enumerated.
Hazards
The appropriate ensemble of face and eye protection is determined through a hazard
assessment. The hazard assessment must consider multiple and simultaneous
hazards that may be present and provide protection against the highest level of each
hazard. The tables below summarize OSHA and ANSI hazard assessment guidance.
OSHA Eye and Face Protection Selection Chart
Source
IMPACT -- Chipping, grinding
machining, masonry work,
woodworking, sawing, drilling,
chiseling, powered fastening,
riveting, and sanding
Assessment of Hazard
Flying fragments, objects, large
chips, particles sand, dirt, etc.
Hot sparks
HEAT -- Furnace operations,
pouring, casting, hot dipping, and
welding
Protection
Spectacles with side protection,
goggles, face shields. See notes
(1), (3), (5), (6), (10). For severe
exposure, use faceshields.
Faceshields, goggles, spectacles
with side protection. For severe
exposure use faceshields. See
notes (1), (2), (3).
Splash from molten metals
Faceshields worn over goggles.
See notes (1), (2), (3).
High temperature exposure
Screen face shields, reflective
(Created 9/02; Revised 10/04, 9/08, 6/10)
UNL Environmental Health and Safety · (402) 472-4925 · http://ehs.unl.edu
CHEMICALS -- Acid and
chemical handling, degreasing,
plating
DUST -- Woodworking, buffing,
general dusty conditions
Splash
Irritating mists
Nuisance dust
face shields. See notes (1), (2),
(3).
Goggles, eyecup and cover
types. For severe exposure, use
faceshields. See notes (3), (11).
Special-purpose goggles.
Goggles, eyecup and cover
types. See note (8).
LIGHT and/or RADIATION -Welding: Electric arc
Optical radiation
Welding: Gas
Optical radiation
Cutting, Torch brazing,
Torch soldering
Optical radiation
Glare
Poor vision
Welding helmets or welding
shields. Typical shades: 10-14.
See notes (9), (12)
Welding goggles or welding face
shield. Typical shades: gas
welding 4-8, cutting 3-6, brazing
3-4. See note (9)
Spectacles or welding face
shield. Typical shades, 1.5-3.
See notes (3), (9)
Spectacles with shaded or
special-purpose lenses, as
suitable. See notes (9), (10).
Notes to Eye and Face Protection Selection Chart:
(1) Care should be taken to recognize the possibility of multiple and simultaneous exposure to a variety of
hazards. Adequate protection against the highest level of each of the hazards should be provided. Protective
devices do not provide unlimited protection.
(2) Operations involving heat may also involve light radiation. As required by the standard, protection from both
hazards must be provided.
(3) Faceshields should only be worn over primary eye protection (spectacles or goggles).
(4) As required by the standard, filter lenses must meet the requirements for shade designations in
1910.133(a)(5). Tinted and shaded lenses are not filter lenses unless they are marked or identified as such.
(5) As required by the standard, persons whose vision requires the use of prescription (Rx) lenses must wear
either protective devices fitted with prescription (Rx) lenses or protective devices designed to be worn over
regular prescription (Rx) eyewear.
(6) Wearers of contact lenses must also wear appropriate eye and face protection devices in a hazardous
environment. It should be recognized that dusty and/or chemical environments may represent an additional
hazard to contact lens wearers.
(7) Caution should be exercised in the use of metal frame protective devices in electrical hazard areas.
(8) Atmospheric conditions and the restricted ventilation of the protector can cause lenses to fog. Frequent
cleansing may be necessary.
(9) Welding helmets or faceshields should be used only over primary eye protection (spectacles or goggles).
(10) Non-sideshield spectacles are available for frontal protection only, but are not acceptable eye protection for
the sources and operations listed for "impact."
(11) Ventilation should be adequate, but well protected from splash entry. Eye and face protection should be
designed and used so that it provides both adequate ventilation and protects the wearer from splash entry.
(12) Protection from light radiation is directly related to filter lens density. See note (4). Select the darkest shade
that allows task performance.
Intensity, CW maximum power
density [watts/cm(d)]
10(-2)
10(-1)
1.0
10.0
Eye Protection for Lasers (OSHA)
Attenuation
Optical Density (OD)
Attenuation Factor
5
10(5)
6
10(6)
7
10(7)
8
10(8)
(Created 9/02; Revised 10/04, 9/08, 6/10)
UNL Environmental Health and Safety · (402) 472-4925 · http://ehs.unl.edu
ANSI Eye and Face Protection Selection Chart
Hazard
Protectors
Limitations
IMPACT – Chipping, grinding, machining, riveting, sanding
• Spectacles with side Caution should be exercised in
Flying fragments,
the use of metal frame protective
protection
objects, large chips,
devices in electrical hazard areas.
• Goggles with direct
particles, sand, dirt, etc.
or indirect ventilation Metal frame protective devices
could potentially cause electrical
• Faceshield worn
shock and electrical burn through
over spectacles or
contact with, or thermal burns
goggles
from exposure to the hazards of
• Welding helmet
electrical energy, which include
radiation from accidental arcs.
Atmospheric conditions and the
restricted ventilation of a protector
can cause lenses to fog.
Frequent cleaning may be
required.
HEAT- Furnace operations, pouring, casting, hot dipping, gas cutting, and welding
Hot sparks
• Spectacles with side Spectacles, cup and cover type
goggles do not provide unlimited
protection
facial protection.
• Goggles with direct
or indirect ventilation
Operations involving heat may
• Faceshield worn
also involve optical radiation.
over spectacles or
Protection from both hazards
goggles
should be provided.
• Full-facepiece
respirator
• Loose-fitting
respirator worn over
spectacles
Splash from molten
• Faceshield worn
metal
over spectacles or
goggles
• Full-facepiece
respirator
• Loose-fitting
respirator worn over
spectacles
High temperature
• Screen faceshield
exposure
over spectacles or
goggles
• Reflective faceshield
over spectacles or
goggles
CHEMICAL – Acid and chemical handling, degreasing, and plating
Splash and irritating
• Goggles with indirect Atmospheric conditions and the
mists
restricted ventilation of a protector
ventilation (eyecup
can cause lenses to fog.
or cover type)
Frequent cleaning may be
• Faceshield over
required.
spectacles or
goggles
• Full-facepiece
respirator
Markings
Impact rated:
+ (spectacle
lens)
Z87+ (all other
lenses)
Z87+ (plano
frame)
Z87-2+ (Rx
frame)
Splash/droplet:
D3
(Created 9/02; Revised 10/04, 9/08, 6/10)
UNL Environmental Health and Safety · (402) 472-4925 · http://ehs.unl.edu
DUST- Woodworking, buffing, general dusty conditions
Nuisance dust
Atmospheric conditions and the
• Goggles with direct
or indirect ventilation restricted ventilation of a protector
can cause lenses to fog.
(eyecup or cover
Frequent cleaning may be
type)
required.
• Full-facepiece
respirator
OPTICAL RADIATION
Welding: Electric Arc
• Welding helmet over Protection from optical radiation is
Viewing electric arc
directly related to filter lens
spectacles or
furnaces and boilers
density. Select the darkest shade
goggles.
that allows adequate task
• Handshield over
Typical filter lens shade:
performance.
spectacles or
10 - 14
goggles
Welding: Gas
• Welding helmet over Note: Filter lenses shall meet the
requirements for shade
Viewing gas fired
spectacles or
designations in table 6 of
furnaces and boilers
goggles.
ANSI/ISEA Z87.1.
• Welding goggles.
Typical filter lens shade: • Welding faceshield
4-8
over spectacles or
goggles.
Cutting
• Welding goggles
• Welding helmet over
Typical filter lens shade:
spectacles or
3-6
goggles
• Welding faceshield
over spectacles or
goggles
• Welding respirator
Torch brazing
• Welding goggles
• Welding helmet over
Typical filter lens shade:
spectacles or
3- 4
goggles
• Welding faceshield
over spectacles or
goggles
Torch soldering
Shade or special purpose lenses,
• Spectacles
as suitable.
• Welding faceshield
Typical filter lens shade:
over spectacles
Note: Refer to definition of
1.5 - 3
• Welding respirator
special lenses in ANSI/ISEA
Glare
• Spectacles with or
Z87.1
without side
protection
• Faceshield over
spectacles or
goggles
Dust: D4
Fine dust: D5
Welding: W
shade number
UV: U scale
number
Glare: L scale
number
IR: R scale
number
Variable tint: V
Special
purpose: S
(Created 9/02; Revised 10/04, 9/08, 6/10)
UNL Environmental Health and Safety · (402) 472-4925 · http://ehs.unl.edu
Other Considerations
• Face and eye protection is not a substitute for feasible engineering controls and safe
work practices.
• Faceshields are not a primary protection device for the eyes. They must be used in
combination with spectacles or goggles if eye protection is needed.
• Departments have the option of providing eye protection for students, purchasing
eye protection and selling it to students at cost; making eye protection available for a
moderate rental fee; or requiring students to provide their own.
• Departments are required to provide employees with appropriate eye protection at
no cost to the employees. Departments must provide persons whose vision requires
the use of prescription (Rx) lenses with either protective devices fitted with
prescription (Rx) lenses or protective devices designed to be worn over regular
prescription (Rx) eyewear. If a department provides protective eyewear fitted with
prescription lenses, the department is not responsible for costs associated with eye
exams.
• Contact lenses and prescription glasses do not provide eye protection in the
industrial sense and must not be worn in a hazardous environment without addition
of the appropriate safety eyewear.
• Caution should be exercised in the use of metal frame protective devices in electrical
hazard areas.
• Welding helmets should be used in conjunction with safety spectacles (equipped
with side shields).
• See the UNL Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Plan for face and eye
protection and other personal protective equipment relative to potential exposures to
bloodborne pathogens.
Cleaning
• Goggles may require frequent cleansing to minimizing fogging.
• Eye and face protection equipment that has been previously used should be cleaned
upon obvious contamination, after each work shift, and prior to use by another
employee. Soap and water cleaning is generally acceptable, coupled with
germicidal cleaning if biological agents are of concern or if PPE is being shared by
employees.
Maintenance and Storage
• PPE must be used and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition.
• The use of equipment with structural or optical defects is prohibited.
• Goggles should be kept in a case when not in use. Spectacles, in particular, should
be given the same care as one's own glasses, since the frame, nose pads, and
temples can be damaged by rough usage.
• Items should be placed in a clean, dust-proof container, such as a box, bag, or
plastic envelope, to protect them while in storage.
(Created 9/02; Revised 10/04, 9/08, 6/10)
UNL Environmental Health and Safety · (402) 472-4925 · http://ehs.unl.edu